Ig: Stilt Houses, Wetlands and Trails

Two groups of prehistoric stilt houses are located near Ig. They form the Slovenian part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps”.

Ig combines traces of different eras with a distinctive wetland landscape and trails through forest, gorge and wetlands. The different trail lengths and types help you arrange nature and cultural experiences according to your preferred pace.

Culture and History

The parish church of St Martin in Ig is a Baroque building from the beginning of the 18th century. Its baptismal font uses part of a Roman tombstone depicting two lions as its base.

Remains of a Bronze Age settlement were found in the valley east of the prehistoric settlement site of Gradišče Pungart near Ig. In the wider area below Gradišče Pungart near Ig, remains from the Roman period are also known.

Among the notable finds is the “Idol from the Ljubljansko barje”, a stylised human-shaped vessel made of fired clay, with a decorated garment, which was discovered in the area of the stilt-house settlements near Ig. The cross motif on the idol appears fourteen times.

Hiša Morostig supplements information about stilt-house settlements and the lives of the stilt-house dwellers with a model reconstruction of the Maharski prekop stilt-house settlement from the 35th century BC. It also explores the biological diversity of the distinctive wetland landscape of the Ljubljansko barje. The Kolišče stilt-house reconstruction at Morostig comprises five huts.

Nature and Landscape

Iški Morost is a 63.5-hectare nature reserve. The nature reserve is open to the public year-round; admission is free.

Themed trail Pot Morostig runs through the Ljubljansko barje. The Iški Morost nature reserve has the Koščeva učna pot educational trail, an observation tower and information boards. Together with the paved trail, Koščeva učna pot is 2.5 km long and takes approximately one and a half hours.

The viewing platform at the Strahomerska okna along the Pot barjanska okna trail displays soil profiles of the alluvial fan and the wetland, as well as illustrations showing how the wetland windows formed. The Morostig stilt-house village is located approximately 2 km from Hiša Morostig.

Iški Vintgar is a gorge through which the Iška River flows. The gorge features gravel banks, numerous pools and steep rocky banks; on a walk, visitors can observe many different types of rock there.

Hiking and Cycling

The Iška–Krim hiking trail is 5.2 km long and takes 2 hours and 10 minutes on foot. Gozdna učna pot Draga pri Igu is an easy circular trail through the forest, a little more than 3 km long. Along the trail are 27 information boards about common and lesser-known tree species, as well as unusual phenomena in the forest.

The Pot barjanska okna trail is suitable for hiking and cycling. It runs for 1.7 km from Podkraj to the Jevšnik Canal on the Iška and mostly follows a gravel road.

The Okljuk trail is 13 km long and connects the Iški Vintgar gorge with the outflow near the village of Lipe. It is suitable for pedestrians and recreational cyclists. Krim can be reached via six clearly marked mountain trails, and the surrounding hills of Ig offer opportunities for hiking.

A partisan hospital approximately one hour’s walk from Iški Vintgar operated from April 1942 and was restored in 1966.

Local Life and Events

At the Tržnica Ig market, produce and products from local and other vendors are sold. Knjižnica Ig offers more than 26,000 library materials.

Koliščarski dan is a traditional event in Draga pri Igu. Archaeological, natural-history and creative workshops are offered at Koliščarski dan.

Other linked places: Gradišče, Medvode, Ljubljana, Smlednik, Mački, Horjul, Skaručna, Rakitna.

To the higher-level travel overview: Ljubljana.